SAN ANGELO, TX — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed 34 domestic cases of New World screwworm in the United States, with all reported cases located in Texas and New Mexico.
According to the USDA, as of July 9, 20 cases remain active, while 14 have been classified as inactive. Officials said all confirmed cases have involved domestic livestock, with no reported infections in humans or wildlife.
Three new cases were confirmed in Texas during July. A sheep case was reported on July 3 in Crockett County. A bovine case was confirmed July 7 in Crockett and Brewster counties, followed by another bovine case confirmed July 9 in Brewster County.
The Texas Animal Health Commission has established New World Screwworm Infested Zones and implemented strict movement restrictions for warm-blooded animals in portions of 22 Texas counties.
The affected counties include:
- Bandera
- Brewster
- Coke
- Crockett
- Edwards
- Gillespie
- Jim Hogg
- Kerr
- Kimble
- La Salle
- Medina
- Pecos
- Schleicher
- Starr
- Sutton
- Terrell
- Tom Green
- Uvalde
- Val Verde
- Webb
- Zapata
- Zavala
New World screwworm is caused by the larvae of the Cochliomyia hominivorax fly. The larvae infest living tissue in warm-blooded animals and can cause serious health concerns for livestock.
Agriculture officials are urging livestock owners to monitor animals closely, especially for wounds that do not heal properly or show signs of possible larval infestation. Suspected cases should be reported to state animal health officials or the USDA.
The USDA said surveillance and response efforts are continuing in affected areas to detect new cases and limit the spread of New World screwworm.
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